Pharmacology for Psychological Disorders

How does an advanced practice nurse determine the best treatment option or pharmacotherapeutic to recommend for patients with psychological disorders?
Much like assessing or recommending pharmacotherapeutics for other conditions or disorders, as an advanced practice nurse, you may encounter a patient who presents with a psychological disorder. Understanding the guiding principles related to treating patients with psychological disorders as well as the effects of pharmacotherapeutics on a patient’s overall health and well-being is critical for the safe and effective delivery of care.
You will examine types of drugs prescribed to patients with psychological disorders. You also examine potential impacts of pharmacotherapeutics used to treat psychological disorders on a patient’s pathophysiology.

Students will:
Evaluate patients for treatment of psychological disorders
Analyze decisions made throughout the diagnosis and treatment of patients with psychological disorders
Analyze impacts of pharmacotherapeutics for psychological disorders on patient pathophysiology
Evaluate patients for treatment of Major Depressive Disorder
Analyze decisions made throughout the diagnosis and treatment of patients with Major Depressive Disorder
Consider factors that might have influenced the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes, such as genetics (including pharmacogenetics), gender, ethnicity, age, behavior, and/or possible pathophysiological changes due to disease.
Think about a personalized plan of care based on these influencing factors and patient history with Major Depressive Disorder.

Post a discussion of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics related to antidepressant medications used to treat major depressive disorder. Also, compare and contrast different treatment options that can be used.